ALOT Toolbar, What Is ALOT Toolbar? Uninstall ALOT Toolbar from Computers and Macs

 

 

 

What Is ALOT Toolbar

A LOT toolbar claims to offer quicker search service for PC users, yet it has aroused antipathy among wide range of PC users simply because of the following aspects:

• A LOT toolbar installs itself without permission.
• A LOT toolbar takes over the errands from default one to offer search results.
• A LOT toolbar seems to bring in more commercial pop-up ads.
• A LOT toolbar cannot be uninstalled easily with traditional methods like control panel and removing its add-on.

So what is ALOT toolbar. Is it virus since it acts weirdly?


ALOT toolbar is actually a commercial tool to help with promotion just like Ask toolbar. To get more traffic among the fiercely competitive environment, some rogue technique helps ALOT toolbar to become stunning promotional tool so that more revenue can be generated. Though it is not an infection, it is always recommended to uninstall ALOT toolbar.

Technical Analysis

VilmaTech Research Lab has found out several reasons for PC users who want to uninstall ALOT toolbar:

1. ALOT toolbar is redundant on a computer that has installed one long before.
2. ALOT toolbar cannot be uninstalled with traditional way which is suspicious.
3. Some PC users are not getting accustomed to ALOT toolbar and the search results it offers.

It should come to your awareness that the very reason to uninstall ALOT toolbar is that ALOT toolbar is more than an average add-on, it is BHO (Browser Helper Object), an object powered to access DOM (Document Object Model) of current page and to control navigation. In the case where ALOT toolbar modifies keys and values in Registry Editor by force, which would lead to vulnerable system, such Browser Helper Object can be easily exploited by Trojan, especially the ones supporting ransomware to install scripts contained a number of vicious orders to be performed such as opening backdoor, downloading additional executable files, hijacking system processes and the like without notifying victims. With the backdoor wide open in the background, other infections stand a big chance to get into a computer that has ALOT toolbar being taken advantage of.

Therefore, it is advisable to uninstall A LOT toolbar right away if you don’t feel it useful. Since it is not a virus that anti-virus programs are created to deal with, manual removal method is advised to be adopted. Below is the instruction to follow up. Should there be other issues triggered by additional vicious item that has successfully exploited vulnerability, feel free to contact VilmaTech Online Support and ask their qualified computer experts for adaptive solution to your concrete situation.

 

Latest Instruction to Uninstall ALOT Toolbar from Windows and Max OS X

One - Remove vicious keys and values produced by ALOT toolbar from Database.

There’s no Registry Editor in Max OS X, which makes it a safer OS nowadays.

• Hold Win key and R key together to put “regedit” in.
• Hit Enter key to access Registry Editor.
• When in, navigate to the following entries and remove items accordingly.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\ask toolbar
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\[random numbers]
HKLM\SOFTWARE\[browser name, such as Internet Explorer and Google Chrome]\Extensions [random numbers]
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\AppID\Extension.DLL
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Extension.ExtensionHelperObject.1
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\Toolbar.[random numbers]
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\[random numbers]
HKCU\Software\ask toolbar
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Management\ARPCache\ALOT toolbar

Two – End ALOT toolbar running processes.

Windows 7/XP/Vista

• Hold Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination together to bring up Task Manager.
• Hit Process tab to find ALOT toolbar's running process.
• Press “Disable” to end ALOT toolbar’s process.

Windows 8

• Type ‘Task’ when enabling Search Charm bar on Start screen to enable Task Manager window.
• Hit Process tab to find ALOT toolbar's running process.
• Press “Disable All” button to end ALOT toolbar’s process.

Mac

• Show Apple's menu on the left top chart to click once on “Force Quit” to bring up its window.
• Select ALOT toolbar to press on force quit button.

Three – Uninstall ALOT toolbar from browser settings by resetting browser settings.

Internet Explorer
Tools menu -> Internet Options -> Advanced tab -> Restore Defaults button -> OK button.

Mozilla Firefox
Firefox button -> Help -> Troubleshooting information -> ‘Reset Firefox’.

Google Chrome
 ‘Customize and Control Google Chrome’ menu -> ‘Options’ -> ‘Under the Hood’ -> ‘Reset to Defaults’ button.

Opera

• Show hidden files and folders:

Windows 8
Windows Explorer -> View tab -> tick ‘File name extensions’ and ‘Hidden items’ options -> “OK” button.

Windows 7/XP/Vista
 ‘Control Panel’ -> ‘Folder Options’ -> View tab -> tick ‘Show hidden files and folders and non-tick Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)’ -> ‘OK’ button.

Mac
Finder -> Utilities folder -> terminal to copy and paste “defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles YES” -> return button -> hold ‘alt’ key and right click on the Finder icon at once -> Relaunch button.

• Navigate to "C:\Users\user_name\AppData\Roaming\Opera\Opera\".
• Remove Operapref.ini file to unveil all hidden items.

Safari
Safari menu -> ‘Reset Safari’ -> tick all given options -> ‘Reset’ button.

 
If you don't want to retype log-in information and enter your favorite sites all over again, it is recommended to uninstall ALOT toolbar by manually removing its related parts as well as other vicious item introduced by it. Be noted that any left vicious items would make ALOT toolbar stand still.

• Firefox

Firefox menu -> Tools menu -> manage Add-ons -> modification should be made under Extensions tab and Plugins tab respectively -> go to ‘Toolbars’ and uninstall ALOT toolbar there.

• Google Chrome

‘Customize and control’ Google Chrome icon -> select ‘Settings’ -> manage ‘Extension’ to remove items generated by ALOT toolbar.

• Internet Explorer

Go to Tools -> find and remove malicious items generated by ALOT toolbar in‘Manage Add-ons’-> ‘Toolbars and Extensions’->‘Search Providers’.



Four - Uninstall ALOT toolbar from Control Panel.

Windows 8
“Unpin” button -> choose ‘Control Panel’ -> "Programs and Features" -> uninstall ALOT toolbar.

Windows 7/Vista/XP
Start menu -> Control Panel -> “Add/Remove Programs” -> uninstall ALOT toolbar.

Mac

1. Apple menu -> “System Preferences” -> uninstall ALOT toolbar from Dock and Display respectively.
2. Click on Finder launchpad icon on the task bar -> tap “Applications” on the left pane -> find ALOT toolbar on the right pane -> press on it and move it to dustbin.

     Or press "Ctrl" (control) button -> locate ALOT toolbar -> select "move to trash".

BHO as A LOT toolbar is rather than an average add-on, more steps are required to be involved to achieve a complete removal. Complete removal is highly recommended when uninstalling programs since left items might conflict with other third-party programs installed in the future to cause error message, which can be tangled and complex.

Reference: http://blog.vilmatech.com/alot-toolbar-how-to-uninstall-alot-toolbar/